- admin
- March 8, 2022
- 7:04 am
The “domino effect” is the idea that the outcomes of a number of small actions will compound and ultimately help you to accomplish one larger goal with similar energy. The first time I was introduced to the domino effect, I felt empowered and extremely enlightened. And the science behind the theory gave credibility to the speaker on stage.
As we are stepping into a new month, and being that March is the last month of the first quarter, questioning our progress is the natural progression. Momentum is a good indication of not just our progress, but it can also speak to our state of mind. The pace of our progress is in direct correlation to our daily “self-talk”. In fact, the first struggle we have is with ourselves. We beat our negative thoughts back, step out of our comfort zones, and take on daily tasks one small step at a time.
Yet, what happens when our negative thoughts win the day? What happens when we fall prey to our fears and allow our self-esteem to take the hit. Will it leave us curled up in a pathetic puddle on the floor? Each day that we feed our insecurities and feel the poisonous effects of inadequacy creep into our souls, we find that the “dark space” uses that same science, and a new kind of momentum has been given power. A negative domino effect has begun.
In my youth, the movie “Top Gun” was very impactful. Goose and Maverick find themselves caught up in the jet wash from Ice Man’s F-14 Tomcat, which causes a devastating flame-out. This force sent Goose and Maverick’s jet into a flat spin that was impossible to recover from, and in the end caused Goose his life. My heart was broken! I wanted to throw my popcorn at the screen. How dare they hurt Goose! I think we all cried with Goose’s wife, Carol. Her tears were our own!
What particular life lesson does this spark for me today? Even when doing the seemingly right thing, at times there will be an unseen jet wash that will send us into a flat spin. That negative force will disintegrate our badass domino effect. What you decide to do next will determine who will win in the long run. Will you allow the missteps of your past to influence tomorrow’s progress? During my own week where self doubt, sickness, and resistance from external variables justified the pause in life, it is with determination that I fight against the negative momentum to find neutral. If you find yourself in a similar state, what is the next best step?
I am currently telling myself that doing the next right step is all that is required. Finding the one thing that will allow everything to become easier allows each of us to focus on finishing one task at a time. This is key to ensuring our dominoes are lined up in the right direction and hitting the goals we actually intended to knock down. Here’s to finishing what was started!
